Security and development are two-sides of the same coin, and neither can be achieved without fully engaging women's organisations and taking into account women's concerns. As the EU moves to strengthen its ability to promote security and stability around the world, ensuring a strong gender perspective through policy-making and implementation is critical. At the European Development Days (EDD), the European External Action Service took the opportunity of the presence in Brussels of thousands of international development and gender experts to organize an open debate and gather recommendations to promote a gender-balanced and sustainable approach to its evolving security and development cooperation policies and actions.

“There are many actors of positive change in Kenya. Right now the LGBT people who are pushing in a court case are at the forefront of it… making it public in a society that is very conservative… they're pushing for a reform that is needed and necessary for any human being so they are heroes in Kenya”, said Wanuri Kahiu, director of the film "Rafiki". Wanuri participated in a panel organised by the EEAS on LGBTI people and the SDGs during the European Development Days (5-6 June).